Cataclysm!

While in orbit above the Earth testing out a new space shuttle for NASA, the Fantastic Four witnesses a bright flash of light that envelops the entire planet. This causes Ben to be blinded and they crash land back on Earth. However, they find that the entire planet has regressed into a prehistoric jungle. They are confronted by the Watcher who explains that someone had accessed Dr. Doom's time machine within the Baxter Building and altered history in such ways that it caused all of humanity to never develop into the society it's in today. The Fantastic Four agree to being sent back in time to prevent these things from happening.

The Watcher sends Reed and Johnny back in time to the days of the Revolutionary War, disguising themselves as locals from that era, the two quickly learn where history changed in this reality: George Washington has been captured by the British army, and the Americans are at risk of winning the war. Attacking the British military base, Mr. Fantastic and the Human Torch easily free Washington from his prison. After getting Washington to safety, they learn that he was captured due to the appearance of a man who appeared in a bright flash of light. This event spooked his horse enough to buck him off and be captured by the British. With Washington free, Reed and Johnny are transported out of that time, leaving Washington to resume his proper role in history.

Medusa and Thing are transported to the 1930's prior to the depression, where Ben is amazed to find that he's been changed back into his human form. Stealing some clothing, they begin to look for point where history has changed. They find it in a speak-easy where they find Willy Lumpkin, the Fantastic Four's mailman sitting with some gangsters. Realizing that Willy may tell them about the financial future of the world during this time and thereby give organized crime another edge during the depression, Ben and Medusa grab Lumpkin and run. The mobsters chase after them as Ben steals a car and tries to drive away. However he crashes the vehicle, but then changes back into the Thing and makes short work of the mobsters tailing them. With Willy secure, the trio are transported out of that point in history.

The Fantastic Four and Willy are not returned to their own time however, they are brought to the timeless realm of Tempus. Tempus tells them all he had manipulated events in the hopes that all the time paradoxes created by Willy would cause all reality to crumble apart and thus end his millennial long existence. Desiring to destroy the Fantastic Four, they find that Tempus' control over time can cause them to rapidly age. However, they manage to defeat him by tripping him up causing him to shatter. Soon after the world of Tempus crumbles as well, however the Fantastic Four and Willy are transported back to their own time, everything seemingly restored back to normal. The Watcher then erases Willy's memories of the whole situation before departing.

Recurring Characters

Fantastic Four (Mister Fantastic, Medusa, Human Torch, Thing), The Watcher, Willie Lumpkin, Tempus

Continuity Notes

• Official Handbook of the Marvel Universe A-Z #4 gave universe designations to the different alternate realities caused in this issue. Earth-74082 is the index number for the primordial world that the Fantastic Four find themselves at the beginning of this story; Earth-74820 is the world where George Washington is executed by the British Army in 1777; and Earth-82074 is the reality where the mob take advantage of the stock market crash in 1928.

• Johnny mentions when the Frightful Four broke into their headquarters in Fantastic Four #148.

• The crux of the trouble stems from Willie Lumpkin walking onto Doctor Doom's time platform. Some facts about this time platform:

  • This is the time platform that Doctor Doom used against the Fantastic Four in Fantastic Four #5, Reed confiscated it for the FF's use as first seen in Fantastic Four #19.

  • The footnote states that Doctor Doom "borrowed" it once or two from the Fantastic Four after they confiscated it. This is a reference to Avengers Annual #2/Avengers #56, and Marvel Super-Heroes #20, which depict the time-platform as being in Doctor Doom's castle in upstate New York. This is actually an inaccuracy, as Fantastic Four Annual #11 clarifies that Reed didn't take Doom's original time machine, only duplicated it.

• Some facts about the Watcher in this issue:

  • The Watcher mentions that he is forbidden to interfere in the actions of others due to a solemn vow of non-interference. This was due to the fact that the last time the Watchers got involved in the lives of other races it led to the Prosilican race annihilating itself, as seen in Tales of Suspense #53 and expanded upon in Original Sin #0.

  • It is however referenced how the Watcher had assisted the Fantastic Four in the past. This story specifically references when the Watcher helped the Fantastic Four defeat Galactus in Fantastic Four #48-50.

• Reed and Johnny are sent back in time to the fall of 1777 during the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). Washington's capture and execution during this period would have had an impact on the War in that he would not have been present during the Battles of Saratoga which the American revolutionaries won, and is viewed as a major turning point in the war.

• Ben and Medusa are sent to Chicago circa 1928 during the American Prohibition which saw alcohol outlawed between the years 1920-1933. Chicago was the center of a lot of mob activity during this period, notably, it was the turf of two warring mobs run by Bugs Moran and Al Capone. They arrive a year before the Great Depression, which was a global economic depression that lasted from 1929 to 1937 when World War II erupted. It started with the collapse US stock market crash on October 29, 1929.

• The last time the Thing was reverted back to human form was during a fleeting moment with his battle against Thundra in Fantastic Four #133.

• It is later revealed that Tempus is an agent of the time-traveler known as Immortus as seen in Thor #282, that story states that the "modern day" Immortus, while Avengers: The Terminatrix Objective #3 states that Tempus was created by the future version of Immortus and sent back in time to assist his younger self. Tempus does not die here and next appears in Avengers: West Coast #62 where Immortus uses him to battle Avengers West Coast.